The autumn breeze
loosens the maple’s leaves
- shake and sway -
a unison wave
Then the letting go
Scurry scurry
The squirl hops along
the underbrush
looking for buried treasure
The old, stubbon pinwheels
that didn’t take root
become a tasty afternoon treat
Nature always provides
The breeze rustles the leaves
a bluejay and starling make their calls
gathering their flock for a good night’s rest
sheltered and abundant
Nature always provides
Tag: letting go
Come Spring Again
The breeze rattles
and shakes
the Dogwood’s blossoms
lose their grip
and they let go
whether by wind or time
their brief beauty lies
a wish on the wind
scattered below
like confetti
a celebration and a
mourning on what has passed
is past. And I will wait once again
with bated breath on our joyful reunion
come spring again
The present moment
Right now I know this
Despite the sorrow and the fear
– or in spite of sorrow and the fear –
Now is all there is
Often it is not front and center
with a proper view of what This is
Sometimes I think I can find it
and Embody this now that is
I return to my center
no longer lost in the tumultuous thoughts,
strings of notions and ideas
whether original or not
That weighs heavy on my mind
I just let it go
And I can feel the now
Glimpses of gladness arrive
My heart feels the light
there’s Goodness, nourishment
Rooted in the here and now.
We All Walk Upon This Earth
There is so much beauty under each step.
My eyes feast on the colors,
the ever changing sky and landscape,
even as my feet stay rooted to the same grounds.
The varied sounds of nature fill my ears.
The crisp, clear air fills my lungs.
And for a moment I am fulfilled
and alive in every sense.
I pause and try to hold it all in
almost to the point of bursting.
And when I exhale,
I let out more than hot CO2.
I let go of my troubles, fears, and anxieties.
I surrender to the empty void.
– Lucky –
Alive to take it all in once again.
The path to freedom
The path to freedom,
truth be told,
lies in the heart,
and in the letting go.
Though at times it may appear
disheveled and eroded
by river, brook and spring,
the path winds through.
Even through narrow trees and shrubs
surrounded by darkness and echo.
uncertainty looms as
decisions and choices are made.
Remember,
to embrace freedom
Listen and still the body,
Speak from the heart.
Our hands embrace
and we guide each other.
Our steps match in rhythm and stride.
A dance of truth and pure awareness
illuminates the paths unseen.
I listen to my heart
our hands let go
knowing there is safety here
in freedom.
Every Acorn A Promise
Every tight little bud
A promise.
A protective shell
from the harsh winter.
Even though the trees appear
to be shedding and letting go,
They are preparing
and abundantly so.
For the glorious spring
That has yet to come.
The Wisdom of Trees (part 1)
Red, banana-shaped leaves all beneath a tree, like a bright blanket, winter sparkly lights gleam on its branches. I look up and stare into its outstretched arms trying to learn its secrets. Tell me, how do you so lovingly let go once your true colors have emerged? Show me that it is okay to be naked and surrounded by beauty at the same time. Vulnerable but not lost. Rooted and grounded in that strong inner knowing. Whisper your secret in my ear. Lend me your wisdom. My eager beating heart awaits your reply.
Summer past
The last warm weather of summer has passed. It’s in the rearview mirror and it’s slowly disappearing behind the horizon as we march toward November. Ever longer nights, the colors once so bright will soon fade too. It’s a natural thing and a reminder that all is well. Even if I have to let go or hold on til the bitter end. The natural order says so and I am just a lucky-enough player on the field to notice. I grow. I shine. I let go. And I can pick up the broken pieces if I want to. Gather what I need. Or just surrender, relax, be quiet like the snow blanketing the earth. It’s a natural thing. And I am a part of nature. And so it is.
Fulfillment
We seek fulfillment. Our bodies take it all in. We find nourishment In the foods we eat And in the information We consume. We seek fulfillment From the outside world, Which can nourish. It can hold. It can bind. We seek satiation And satisfaction. Taking from the earth We feel filled up And lifted up. We can be held in each other’s arms. Our own thoughts and prayers Guide us on the path. Our minds can bind us To the truth Or to one fixed view. We take in and seek fulfillment In a focused moment Or a broader view. It can feel hard if not impossible To let go What we’ve become accustomed to: The same familiar foods, Deeply held emotions and beliefs. It can feel that we ourselves are also being consumed If we can’t take care of each other And be mindful of what is acceptable And beneficial to consume. Does it nourish? It all becomes integrated and a part of our cells. So let’s choose wisely. Not just for a single fleeting moment But all precious moments. Fulfillment is possible.
The Deciduous Tree (Part 3)
Do the leaves hold on to the tree’s branches or is it the tree’s own doing when it comes to ultimately letting go? The leaves have completed their cycle. They were the first buds and sign of spring Opening into colorful blossoms. The blossoms became the green or dark hues Expressing the type of deciduous tree. All shapes and shades of green expanding toward the sky. Next there were the seeds. The future generation of trees were expelled down. Pinwheels of seeds helicoptered below The descent to bring forth descendants. Now that the seeds had done their work, The tree could finally show its true colors. The green transformed to bright oranges, reds and yellows. My oldest calls them the color of the setting sun. The strong autumn breezes help the trees Shed their leaves. And then they are bare, Ready to brace the cold of winter. No fragile blossoms to accidentally freeze. Just the tree and its roots Starkly standing in the white of snow. Forever patient. The cycle can’t be rushed or passed through Because it is nature’s own timing And the tree plays its part. The deciduous tree reminds me That all stages are important. One is not more special than the other. It is a seasonal reminder That life’s moments are brief. And there is beauty and a lesson to behold If I just take nature’s cue.